Mamelodi Sundowns kept up a winning sequence for defending champions in their first game of the new league season as they beat neighbours SuperSport United 2-0 in their opening clash of the 2024-25 Betway Premiership season on Tuesday.
Sundowns, who have won the last seven league titles, have avoided defeat in their last seven opening games of the season as champions, winning the last six.
Tuesday’s win at Loftus Versfeld, with second half goals from Iqraam Rayners and Lucas Ribeiro, followed on victory for Sundowns in each of their opening game of the league season since the kick off of the 2019-20 campaign, when they also beat SuperSport.
Zwane sets Rayners up for Masandawana for the first goal of the Tshwane derby 🤩🔥@McDonalds_SA
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 17, 2024
📺 Stream #BetwayPrem on DStv: https://t.co/B0jLrQW5cc pic.twitter.com/yOtycSuHiY
The Premier Soccer League was launched 29 years ago, and the defending champions have won 16 out of 28 times in their first match of the season following their title success.
There have been seven draws and five losses for the defending champions.
The title defence is on for Sundowns✅#BetwayPrem pic.twitter.com/3fWwKmUyfp
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 17, 2024
As defending champions, Sundowns have lost their opening league fixture twice to Umtata Bucks in 2000 and then to AmaZulu in 2007.
The only other defending champions to lose the opening game in defence of their title were Orlando Pirates in 2003, when SuperSport United beat them, and then SuperSport in 2010 when they suffered 3-0 thrashing at the hands of Bidvest Wits.
Bidvest Wits in turn lost their opening game in 2017 to Cape Town City.
Last year, title holders Sundowns started their league season with a 2-1 away victory over Sekhukhune United with Peter Shalulile and Ribeiro scoring.
Performances of defending PSL champions in their first game of following season
1997-98 Cape Town Spurs 0 Manning Rangers 3
1998-99 Cape Town Spurs 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 1
1999-00 SuperSport United 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 4
2000-01 Mamelodi Sundowns 0 Umtata Bush Bucks 1
2001-02 Orlando Pirates 2 Umtata Bush Bucks 1
2002-03 Jomo Cosmos 2 Santos 3
2003-04 SuperSport United 2 Orlando Pirates 0
2004-05 Dynamos 1 Kaizer Chiefs 4
2005-06 Bush Bucks 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1
2006-07 AmaZulu 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 0
2007-08 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 AmaZulu 2
2008-09 SuperSport United 1 Free State Stars 0
2009-10 Maritzburg United 1 SuperSport United 1
2010-11 Bidvest Wits 3 SuperSport United 0
2011-12 Black Leopards 0 Orlando Pirates 2
2012-13 Orlando Pirates 2 Lamontville Golden Arrows 1
2013-14 Mpumalanga Black Aces 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1
2014-15 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 Maritzburg United 1
2015-16 Chippa United 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0
2016-17 Maritzburg United 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 0
2017-18 Bidvest Wits 0 Cape Town City 1
2018-19 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 Kaizer Chiefs 1
2019-20 Mamelodi Sundowns 2 SuperSport United 0
2020-21 Kaizer Chiefs 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 3
2021-22 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 AmaZulu 0
2022-23: Cape Town City 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 2
2023-24: Sekhukhune United 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 2
2024-25: Mamelodi Sundowns 2 SuperSport United 0
PSL Defending Champions record in opening game
P W D L GF GA
28 16 7 5 40 20